At this moment, as Hurricane Sandy approaches the Boston area, I am feeling a poignant sense of silence, solitude and simplicity. In fact, when I went out to get the mail a little bit ago, I even considered taking a walk. But the wind is picking up and I can hear rain on the sunroom windows. Not silent, and yet the sounds of nature seem to have a silent honesty to them. According to the latest forecast, Boston will not get the worst of the storm, although of course there will be damage and hardship. That being said, I hope that many in the area will find unexpected enjoyment in a solitude that comes when everything is closed down and there’s no place to go. Simplicity? Well, of course a storm is never simple. And yet, as I sit here looking out the window, all I feel is the present moment, and that is always simple.